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Stephen Michael Newby, composer, conductor, gospel/jazz vocalist and pianist, is a native of Detroit, Michigan. In December 1984 he received his Bachelor of Arts in vocal music education and flute performance from Madonna College in Livonia, Michigan. His Master of Music in jazz composition and arranging was earned in May 1987 from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. There his studies in composition were under the supervision of Robert Sutton, Frederick Tillis, Jeff Holmes and Robert Stern. He returned to Michigan to complete his Doctorate of Musical Arts in composition at The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in December 1994. There he studied with William Albright, Michael Daugherty, George Wilson, Fred Lerdahl and Pulitzer Prize winners William Bolcom and Leslie Bassett. His compositions have earned him awards such as The National Endowment of the Arts Grant- Continental Harmony 2005 for Saint Paul, Minnesota; Continental Harmony 2000 for Newport, Rhode Island; the King County Arts Commission of Washington Grant, 1995-1996; The Distinguished Dissertation of the Year Award at the University of Michigan in 1995 for his “Symphony” Let Thy Mercy Be Upon Us, A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. As well as the Rackham School composition Award for A Significant Change for Orchestra (1993); The Rackham School fellowship for Ethnomusicological Research in Dakar, Senegal, West Africa 1988-1990; The John Wesley Work III National Composer’s Competition in 1988 for his work Be Still and Know a gospel/jazz oratorio. He is an ASCAP composer/publisher of many different musical styles and traditions including West African, Western European, Jazz, and Gospel. His works have been performed by; The Cascade Youth Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, Canton Symphony Orchestra, New Haven Symphony, Savannah Symphony and the New World Theater Orchestra. H. Robert Reynolds and The University of Michigan Bands commissioned him to compose two new works for Band and Choir, which premiered in 2000. He has worked with gospel choirs, vocal jazz ensembles and traditional choral groups for more than 30 years. He served as Assistant Professor of Composition and Computer Arts at the University of Michigan from 1990-94.
His conducting experiences include: The Savannah Symphony, The Antioch Symphony Orchestra in Kirkland, WA 1994-present, The Seattle Pacific University Gospel Choir, The C.R.O.S.S., a gospel jazz ensemble in Kirkland, WA 1993-present, The Cascade Youth Symphony Orchestra in Seattle, WA 1994-95, The United Voices of Antioch Choir in Kirkland, WA 1993-present, The University of Michigan Gospel Chorale in Ann Arbor, MI 1990-93, The Martin Luther King Symposium Orchestra and Chorus in Ann Arbor, MI, The Messiah Baptist Gospel Voices 1987-1992, The University of Massachusetts African American Music and Vocal Jazz Ensemble 1985-1987, Wesley United Methodist Church Chorale in Amherst, MA 1985-1987, YADI Jazz Ensemble in Boston, MA 1985-1987, The New World Theater Chamber Orchestra in Amherst, MA 1986, Mount Holyoke College Voices of Praise Chorale in Holyoke, MA 1986 and The New Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church Chorale in Detroit, MI 1975-1985.Other Professional Musical Activities include; Gospelfest Music for Reconciliation, Inc., Music Director/ Co-founder, Ann Arbor, MI, 1990-present, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra/UNISYS African American Composers Symposium Program Coordinator and featured composer in chamber music 1992-93, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra guest conductor, January 1992 and December 1993, Toured and Conducted 100 voice Senegalese choir and drum orchestra, La Chorale Des Martyrs De L’Ouganda, Dakar, Senegal, West Africa, 1986-1990, Toured Israel with the United Voices of Antioch Choir in November 1998.
He is currently Minister of Worship/Adjunct Music Professor at Seattle Pacific University, Pastor of Worship Arts at Antioch Bible Church, Worship Leader/Recording Artist for Maranatha! Music, Integrity Music, Promise Keepers, and Family Life Ministries
Newby has completed a new recording project entitled “Songs of Deliverance” to be released March 2005 on R-Music label. He has released other recordings such “Delight to Do God’s Will” on Maranatha, “Gospel Songs for Baritone and String Orchestra” on Albany Records and “I Still Do” with Integrity media.